Surgical Microscope Tool Recognition via Imaging Scale
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods fail to accurately and reliably recognize surgical tools in real-time within microscopic images during microsurgical interventions due to unpredictable changes in magnification and object distance, leading to unsatisfactory results.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscope system that accounts for the set imaging scale during object recognition, using microscopy optics, a camera, and a controller to process image data and identify surgical tools by matching template data, reducing computing time and improving recognition accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional object recognition methods are used without considering imaging scale, then the system structure remains simple, but recognition accuracy and reliability deteriorate due to unpredictable magnification changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by incorporating the imaging scale (magnification level) as a critical parameter into the object recognition process. The controller receives not only image data but also imaging scale data from the microscopy optics, and uses both parameters together for accurate tool identification. This resolves the contradiction by improving reliability through parameter enhancement without significantly increasing structural complexity, as the imaging scale is already an inherent parameter of the microscopy system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple models of tools with different imaging scales are stored in data memory, then recognition can handle varying magnifications, but the amount of object data increases significantly leading to slower and imprecise recognition
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamics by making the object recognition process adaptive to the current imaging scale rather than using static pre-computed models for all possible scales. The controller dynamically adjusts the recognition process based on the real-time imaging scale parameter, selecting appropriate recognition strategies or scaling factors on-the-fly. This approach maintains versatility across different magnifications while improving recognition speed by avoiding the need to search through multiple fixed-scale tool models stored in memory.
3Loss of time
If the imaging scale is taken into account during object recognition, then computing time is reduced and recognition is faster, but the system requires additional imaging scale data processing
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by having the microscopy optics system pre-establish and communicate the imaging scale parameter to the controller before the object recognition process begins. The imaging scale data is prepared and transmitted in advance as part of the system state, so that when recognition is needed, the controller already has the necessary scale information ready for immediate use. This reduces computing time by eliminating the need to determine imaging scale during recognition, while the additional data processing complexity is minimized since the scale parameter is a single numeric value rather than complex image data.
Data Source
AI summary
A surgical microscope comprises microscopy optics, a camera, a display system and a controller comprising a data memory storing object data of at least one surgical tool. The microscopy optics are variable optics for changing an imaging scale of an imaging of a field of view onto the camera. The controller is configured to process the camera images and to identify the at least one tool in the camera images by object recognition using the object data of the at least one tool and the set imaging scale.